Dead Stop (episode)
Enterprise docks with a strange, automated repair space station, which proves too good to be true. Summary Following the encounter with a Romulan mine in the last episode, ''Enterprise'' has suffered damage which requires extensive repairs. In fact, Trip estimates that he would need 3 to 4 months to complete the repairs, assuming they could even find tritanium alloy. Moreover, the damage is so pervasive that Enterprise cannot travel faster than Warp 2, and the ship is essentially dead in space. Archer then orders Hoshi to send a distress call. The call is answered by a Tellarite freighter passing by, which points them to a repair station. When Enterprise arrives at the station, they find it to be completely automated and quite sophisticated: it can adapt its environment to its guests (after scanning them and their entire database) and it has impressive technology (e.g., replicators, a kind of anabolic protoplaser). Even more interesting is its offer to completely repair the ship in less than a day and a half in exchange for a trivial compensation of 200 liters of warp plasma. Following a great first impression, Archer slowly discovers that all is indeed too good to be true, and surmises that something definitely does not feel right. While the station does not seem to pose any immediate threat to the ship or crew, it turns out to be very self-protective: Trip and Malcolm are teleported back to Enterprise when they attempt to learn more about its computer core). The situation takes a tragic turn when Ensign Mayweather is found dead in Launch Bay 1. The evidence suggests that he disobeyed orders to stay out of the sections under repair, leading to his death, but Archer refuses to believe that Travis was that foolish. The autopsy from Phlox confirms the captain's doubts: the body is not Mayweather's, but that of a quasi-perfect replica: even if Travis was dead, there would still be microorganisms living on the corpse, but there are none. Phlox then suggests that replicating living organisms is beyond the abilities of the station. The captain decides to investigate the matter in more detail and assembles a team to reach the computer core. They easily disable the protective mechanisms and are suprised by what they find: dozens of unconscious bodies, connected to the computer, still alive but with irreversible brain damage, as their cerebral cortexes have been reorganized by the station's core. When they unplug Travis, the station turns hostile. With everyone finally back aboard Enterprise, the station refuses to let the ship undock. It threatens to destroy the ship, locking out the crew from all systems. However, Archer still has an ace up his sleeve, as he had arranged to place a detonator next to the warp plasma canisters that were delivered as payment for the repairs. The detonator ignites the plasma and destroys the station, and Enterprise is finally able to escape, repaired and with its entire crew. However, this does not appear to be the end of the station, as some parts of the wreck slowly come together to repair themselves... Background Information * The plot of this episode continues on from "Minefield", with Enterprise seeking repairs after being damaged in that episode. * The Automated repair station's medical regenerator is a modified reuse of the exocomp from TNG: "The Quality of Life". * The access tunnel hatch seems to be nothing more than a white furnace filter. * Ensign Mayweather has a model of the Nomad probe, in its initial configuration, in his quarters. * Among the many alien bodies, are a Klingon, a Vulcan, a Cardassian, a Xepolite, a species that closely resembles the Vaadwaur, and a member of Kago-Darr's species. Memorable Quotes "It's unethical to ''harm a patient, I can cause as much pain as I like." : - 'Phlox' "''Your inquiry was not recognized." : - Automated repair station Links and References Guest Star * Roxann Dawson as Station Voice (uncredited) References Automated repair station; Britain; catfish; Computer core; cytokinetic enzyme; Deuterium; duranium; Fisher; Hayes; Isolytic surge; Regulan bloodworm; Replicator; Rigelian fever; Romulan; Subspace amplifier; Tarkalean; Tellarites; Tellarite freighter; Tessik Prime; transporter; transtator; warp coil; warp plasma. Category: ENT episodesde:Todesstationnl:Dead Stop